One Step At A Time
by Shade Penn
Summary: Sequel to Resilience. Slash. Strange chest pains and metal fragments in his skin make Will thinks somethings wrong. But after a 'chat' with the Allspark apparently inside his body telling him everything's going to change, he wishes he could just go back to pretending there was nothing wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have taken down the sequel title to 'Conversion' and given it to this story. But make no mistake, I still think the idea of genderbending Will is a unique idea and am continuing it. So enjoy this 'real' sequel.**

* * *

At first, Will didn't think much of the fact he would feel a pain in his chest after the Autobots took down a 'Con, just brushed it off as heart burn from something he ate earlier.

_Every. Single. Time_.

Yet he still refused to believe something might have been wrong, simply because he didn't _think_ there was any reason to worry. The brief pain only came after each Decepticon's deactivation, so yeah.

Currently he was in the artillery room and inspecting the weapons, 'cause what good are they if they're not in prime condition? He grinned to himself at his little joke before it faded and he noticed something strange on his hand.

It was a tiny metal fragment. Now how did that get in his hand? It must have got caught from inspecting the weapons; that must be it. Will tried to pry it out, but found doing so surprisingly hurt and flexed his hand, expecting the pain to follow, but it never did.

Will frowned to himself. What kind of metal did he get stuck in his hand that it hurt to try and remove it, but didn't when he flexed his hand, and by all logic it should have hurt the most.

It just didn't make any sense.

The man walked out of the artillery room and decided to head down to the medical ward, the place he tried to avoid at all costs but use if he really had too.

Will grabbed at his chest as he started feeling a searing pain go through him, like every time a 'Con was offlined, but this time it felt even worse than usual, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as he collapsed to the floor.

* * *

_Will blinked as he 'woke up' but he didn't exactly recognize where 'here' was. Everything was all glowing and had strange symbols on the surrounding walls. "Hello? Anybody home?"_

_A chuckle resounded through the 'room,' but it felt like the sound was coming from an invisible force and wasn't really 'speaking.' But how was he able to understand it then? 'Hello, William Lennox.'_

"_Okay freaky voice thing, where are you and why are you in my head?" Will asked, still intending to keep his guard up._

'_You can't recognize this place?' The voice asked sounding surprised. 'But then I guess I really shouldn't have assumed as much. You have no idea what's going on after all.'_

_Will felt his spin straighten. "What are you talking about? What's happening?"_

'_Ah, that seemed to have gotten your attention alright.' The voice replied amused as it spoke in tandem with the slowly beating symbols. _

"_You're damn right it did, now where am I and where are __you__ for that matter?" Will demanded, though there was a touch of uneasiness in his posture._

_The voice 'chuckled' again. 'I am everywhere around you.' Well that didn't help much, just made him even __more__ unnerved by this whole thing. 'As you for, we're in your mind of course. Well, it'd be more like __our__ mind now.'_

_Will frowned as he once again looked around the place, the symbols bringing up a picture of the Allspark and-no, it just wasn't possible. "You were destroyed with Megatron, that's what Sam did with you." He whispered._

'_No, I sensed the imminent demise of my 'body' and sought a suitable vessel to inhabit. Samuel Witwicky was simply too young to sustain my knowledge without any dangerous side effects.' The voice explained. 'You on the other hand, __we're__ suitable for me and I chose you because you understood what it was like to be…__resilient__as it were.' _

"_So what, you think I'm just gonna let you take over?" Will asked angrily._

'_No, not 'take over,' that would imply I was some kind of parasite, I'm just trying to help my kind, and I need your help.' The voice replied, though Will supposed he could give that voice a name now. __Allspark__. 'Though it is involuntary of what is currently happening to you.'_

"_What is?" Will asked before he remembered the pains in his chest and the metal in his skin. "The pains, the metal, that's __you?__"_

'_Whenever I felt the passing of one of my creations, it __hurts__ and now you are feeling it too. For every Decepticon that is destroyed, it will hurt you.' The Allspark didn't sound malicious, just resigned. _

"_And the metal?" Will questioned._

'_It will continue to cover your skin, not noticeable at first, just shards like you've seen, but in a very short time it __will__become noticeable and you'll have to tell the Autobots.' The Allspark explained._

"_Tell them what?" Will asked. "How can I tell them if you won't tell __me__ what'll happen."_

'_Are you sure you want to know? I have no doubt you'll fight it even after it happens.' The Allspark replied._

"_Fight what?" Will demanded before he looked down at his hand and could imagine the whole thing covered in metal. "No, you can't mean…"_

'…_that __you__ will be transformed into a Cybertronian as well? Yes, it does.' The Allspark finished. 'I am sorry, but there is no other way to save my creations. Soon I will be nothing as when I finish merging with you,__ you__ will become the new Allspark.'_

_Will shook his head throughout the whole explanation. "No, you can't be serious. I can't become a robot, I just can't! Isn't there __something__ else you could do? Like find another body or thing to inhabit?"_

'_Would __you__ force this onto someone else because you find it discomforting?' The Allspark questioned and Will let out a soft sigh._

"_No, I wouldn't do that." He muttered. "But you are forcing this on __me__ though."_

'_Yes, and I have already told you that I am sorry for what is going to happen.' The Allspark replied sounding confused as to __why__ Will was still angry with it._

_And then Will __understood__ that it __didn't__ understand. It didn't know how this was for him in the __now__ and only about the fact he was going to fight it. It was because he was a fighter that it'd draw this conclusion about him, not about how __else__ he'd feel._

_But then again, it must have not have had any experience with human emotions, and probably not even its own creations at that if it didn't move about and couldn't interact with them._

"_It's because I can move around, isn't it? That's the reason you wanted a human vessel to merge with, so I __can__ do something about this?" Will questioned._

_There was no response for a moment before the Allspark replied. 'Yes, it is. I can only wonder how things might have been if I was given a 'real' body of my own instead of a cube to inhabit. I may have been able to curb my wayward creation's destruction of our world, I will never know.' It replied. 'But you can do something, and that is the reason I chose you.'_

_Will furrowed his brow. "I still don't like this though, being forced to become something I'm not, and if this is going to happen, then it's going to happen __my__ way. I'm not just going to sit back and take it."_

'_Are you talking about the transformation or the interfacing?' _

_Will gaped for a moment. "Interfacing?" he repeated and from the Cybertronian Reproduction 101 crash course they got from Ratchet, he knew exactly what that meant. "You mean I gotta __sleep__ with the 'Bots? I'm married! I have a daughter! I'm __faithful__ to Sarah damn it!"_

'_I did not mean to imply otherwise, and you misunderstood what I was saying as well it seems. I was merely inquiring as it whether you __were__ going to let them spark you up.' _

_That didn't make him feel any better._

'_Because you don't have to.'_

_Will glanced around sharply. "I don't? Really? But what about saving your race thing?"_

'_The other thing about having a moving vessel is that they're __sentient__ and can make their own choices. I find forced sparking disdainful and it can leave deep scars.' The Allspark replied. 'As such, if you tell the Autobots about you're transformation coming up; I suggest you do it in a way that does not imply I am currently merging with you until you accept it.'_

_Considering the fact Will was already finding metal shards in his skin did not give him much time, but he was __still__ going to do this his way since he had no doubt they'd try and keep him off the field if he told them. _

"_So you want me to lie." Will mused and received no answer. "I can work with that, at least for the time being. Is there anything else I should know?"_

'_When it is time to shift into a larger body, your own organic one will let out a magnetic pulse that will pull any loose metal towards you and bury you in it, then you will emerge as a Cybertronian.' The Allspark explained._

_Quick, clean, apathetic. The Allspark really needed to work on tact, but then again, he wasn't one to complain about that either. _

…_and damn it if he wasn't starting to compare them both too._

Will opened his eyes and found himself still lying on the floor of the artillery room. Had no one noticed him or did the Allspark have some weird time thing that left him taking to it for what felt like forever and he was only in there for like a few seconds in real time?

If it was the latter, he could understand the need for discretion, as it would just look like he fell and _wasn't_ taking a nap of some kind that would need to get the doctors involved.

Huh, how funny. Just a minute ago he was ready to go to them, but now that he knew _what_ was happening to him, he didn't want _anyone_ to know just yet.

The Allspark said it was his choice after all.

And he'd let everyone know when he was ready. 'Course, he still had to outweigh the pros and cons of revealing that he was merging with the Allspark.

They'd either think he was crazy and wait for him to show it, or they'd believe him and keep him from interacting with anyone else ever again.

Neither sounded too pleasant in the least.

And then there was his family he had to think about, his life as a whole. It was all about to be uprooted and he couldn't do anything about it.

So really, what _could _he do at this moment?


	2. Chapter 2

Will looked at the metal that had started to spread even further across the back of his hand. It had been two days since he'd spoken to the Allspark and knew what he was becoming.

What he was _losing_.

He wished he could just leave now and go home, but he was on active duty still. He didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse that Sarah didn't have to see the shards he was getting; as it had only started occurring after he'd returned to active duty for the N.E.S.T branch.

And that wasn't even counting what he was going to tell everyone else. After all, he could only keep saying that he'd cut his hand for so long before someone noticed the metal on a more visible area he wouldn't be able to hide with bandages.

Will pulled out the new bandages from under his cot and started wrapping it around his hand and forearm tightly. He wanted so badly to just make the Allspark take it all back and leave, but he honestly couldn't make it force this on someone else.

He paused as he felt a chill go through him. It could _just have_ been Sam in this situation if the Allspark hadn't thought he was too young to handle its power.

No, he wouldn't regret taking this on if only for the fact no one else would have to go through this. But that didn't stop him from thinking about everything _else_ that was being taken away from him.

He risked losing his friends when they found out, his family since Sarah probably wouldn't like being married to a robot, his humanity was up for debate too, but he figured that was probably safe as the Autobots didn't act like machines despite their appearances.

…and then there was that.

Will gulped as he clenched his fists. He was going to have to tell them. He _knew_ this, but it was still such a sore spot that they'd lock him away from everyone. He knew they couldn't be as bad as the 'Cons, but he reminded himself harshly he didn't really know _them_ either.

Who knows _what_ their reaction would be.

_'But I won't know if I don't _tell _them_.' Will thought to himself and his thoughts turned self-deprecating. _'You're a soldier, Will, stop acting so nervous and just get it over with!_'

He remembered telling Sam that he was a soldier and needed to man up, and now it was time for Will to follow his own advice. So gathering his resolve, he walked out of the barracks and down the hall to the end of the hall where the 'Bots hanged out.

When Galloway showed up, they'd usually be forced to stay in their vehicle modes, but since no one really thought any of them were going to get killed, the soldiers didn't mind letting them walking around and stretch their limbs, or struts, or whatever it was they called their limbs.

The one thing the entire crew agreed on was that none of them liked Galloway as the man was _for_ Sector Seven staying in operation and that was another reason he was terrified of saying anything.

He didn't want to become some experiment.

If anything, telling the 'Bots would certainly stop that in its tracks as they wouldn't _allow_ him to be some experiment.

Nodding to himself, Will kept on walking toward Optimus' quarters as he seemed like the safest one to talk to and at least hear him out about what he had to say. There was just something about how him that inspired trust and for others to follow him.

Will assumed it had to do with his calm countenance. He shook himself and told himself to get a grip before the door slid open as none of the soldiers would have been able to _reach_ the button; it was set on automatic during the day and locked at night.

The Prime looked over at him, nodding and Will nodded back. "Major Lennox, what can I do for you?"

Will tried not to preen under his new title before mentally smacking himself. "It's kind of important and I really need to talk to you about it as you seem like the one to listen and hear me out."

"Then by all means." Prime said.

Will nodded and took a deep breath to steady himself. "Optimus…is it possible for the Allspark to…to have been able to _change_ matter?" he still didn't feel quite comfortable about telling him quite yet the he _is_ the Allspark now.

Better to see how this plays out before he gives them the whole truth.

The Prime looked confused for a moment. "It is possible, but no one was able to determine this since the scriptures were all but gone." He sounded so sad and Will felt like crap for making him relieve this.

But he still needed to get this out. "Well, please don't judge me, but…but the Allspark did something to me." He whispered.

Optimus went still as his optics zeroed in on Will intensely. "What?"

Will cringed. "I've been getting chest pains," he blurted out to make his case that he wasn't crazy or make Optimus angry, "whenever a 'Con is destroyed, metal shards have started to appear on my skin," he said and ripped the bandages off his forearm and hand, holding them up for the mech to see, "and it all started sometime after I had held it."

Optimus looked over his hand and arm before Will felt the tingling sensation going through his skin that came with being scanned. The mech's shoulder twitched and the man swore this was as surprised as he'd ever seen Prime.

"You…you are right. There is residual energy in you indicating the frequency of the Allspark." He sounded almost awed. "I will have Bumblebee check young Samuel for the same effects. Come, we must speak with Ratchet." He said offering Will a hand.

_'He's…being oddly calm about this._' Will thought but since his instincts weren't currently screaming at him to run, he stepped into the offered servo and watched as the ground grew farther and farther away.

He would have walked, but this way was just faster.

"So, you're not angry then?" Will questioned and what looked like surprise flashed across Prime's faceplate.

"Angry? Why would I be angry?" he questioned.

Will flushed. "It's just that…I didn't mean to bring up anything."

"Will, the important thing now is to find out what is exactly happening to you." Prime replied. "Though I thank you for trusting me so to tell me this."

The flush deepened on the man's face. "Uh, you're welcome."

Maybe, just maybe, telling them about the Allspark might not be such a bad thing, but he still wasn't going to let them lock him away should if come to that.

He might not be physically human in a little while, but that didn't change the fact he _is_ still going to be mentally human.

And that meant he wasn't going to be giving into _anyone_.


	3. Chapter 3

Will tried no to show any outward signs of worry, or at least to the fact he could be found out than to the natural worry of wondering what was wrong with him. "So, how am I?" he asked and kept his heart rate down as he knew Ratchet had a lie detector built in.

The yellow-green mech pulled back as he finished scanning over the metal fragments. "My sensors indicate your vitals are all functioning regularly, though Optimus was right about the residual energy of the Allspark in you. It is simply fascinating."

Will straightened up, this was it. This was now the defining moment of what was going to happen; if he was going to be able to trust the Bot's enough to tell them about what he was _really_ becoming. "So what's going to happen to me?"

He _knew_ what was happening, but he needed to know what they thought.

"As…strange as this may sound to you, your body is starting to change from organic compounds to a structure of a Cybertronian. I am unsure of how long this process will last, nor do I know if you may feel any adverse effects." Ratchet explained. "Optimus said you mentioned chest pains?"

"Yeah, it kind of happens when…" Will trailed off, realizing he'd have to come clean right then and there about the whole Allspark thing, and he so wasn't ready for _that_ can of worm to be opened. He was sure they were still going to be trying to wrap their helms about how the Allspark managed to do this in the first place. "It happens sporadically." He decided to finally say. "Is there something wrong?"

"From the readings, your heart is starting to show signs of spark energy and that may be the cause of your pain. Once the spark is fully formed your pain _should_ stop." Ratchet replied. "Though it would be best if I were to monitor this closely."

Will felt himself instinctively step back as his shoulders tensed. Here it goes. "'Monitor closely?'" he repeated with some of the very real fear he was feeling while the rest was acting. "Are you going to lock me up or something like a science experiment?" he hissed wide-eyed.

Ratchet made a strange indignant sputtering sound and Optimus' shoulders twitched to convey his surprise again. "No Will, he does not intend to lock you up," Prime began pacifically, "he merely intend for you to come every day to ensure that there will be no other effects which could prove hazardous to your health."

Will felt his shoulder's lose its tension and he calmed down somewhat. "That's…that's okay I guess." He muttered.

"Where on this planet did you get the idea we'd _lock you up_?" Ratchet questioned; his vocalizer still indignant.

Will flushed shamefully. "It's what's in the movies, and if the government found out what was happening to me…well…"

"That will not happen, Major Lennox." Optimus said firmly and Will glanced up at him. "We are not your government, and we will not allow for one of our allies to be subjected to such treatment."

Will's eyes widened in awe; he'd had his reservations about how the Autobots were going to be handling this as he knew the reaction from his own government was going to be less than pleasant, but they were taking this remarkably well. Although he couldn't say for sure that all of them would take it well since Bumblebee and Ironhide weren't here at the moment.

His moment of relief was short-lived as reality set in. "But I'm going to have to come clean eventually; it'll only be so long before someone notices the metal, and I can't keep telling everyone that I keep getting hurt." After all, what kind of leader was he if he couldn't even stop himself from getting hurt so often?

Will could almost hear Galloway telling Morshower to replace him for his hazardous workplace 'injuries.' Although he knew the damage if he did come clean would be infinitely more damaging than if he didn't say a word. At least if he didn't say anything he could say that he didn't know and was…scared, but if he did say anything to the rest of N.E.S.T then he stood to lose more than just the trust of his soldiers.

_A lot more_. Will just hoped the 'Bots could keep their promise if anything ever _did_ come up about experimenting on him.

"This is your decision Major Lennox; we will not speak of it to anyone until you are ready." Optimus said.

"Really?" Will questioned, and if they were going to be this lenient, then fighting back was going to be difficult until they reached something he didn't like. Though the one thing he really wouldn't like would be being locked up by _anyone_. "Both of you won't say anything?"

Optimus nodded and Ratchet crossed his arms. "As of now, you are my patient Major Lennox, and that implies some discretion."

And just like that, Will felt himself believe that maybe telling them the whole truth wouldn't be so bad. They were letting _him_ decide what to do next about this, and until he could bring himself to fully wrap his head around this whole thing, he found that using the bandage excuse could be used for only a little while longer.

* * *

_"Okay, while I appreciate you waiting until I was asleep, now what?" Will asked exasperatedly. Seriously, he thought the Allspark was done talking to him._

_'The time is drawing near for when my presence will be completely merged with yours.'_

_Will straightened his back as he looked around at the glowing symbols. "How long? And what exactly does that mean?"_

_'It means that once I am gone, your transformation will be complete, and you will start to gain my memories more frequently.' The Allspark said softly, Will still not being able to determine if the 'voice' was female or male and decided to just give up trying to figure it out. _

_It was in his head, so it wasn't like it mattered, right? More important things were taking place currently._

_Will though all too clearly recalled the dreams of a strange building he was in and feeling a sense of confinement. If that had been his life, no wonder the Allspark chose a vessel that could move and speak. Though that did bring up another point. "Why me, an organic? You could have chosen any other Autobot."_

_Amusement radiated through his mind. 'Because I know that if I had chosen one of my creations, then the violence would never have an end in sight. So I chose you, someone who had no knowledge of this war until recently and then still allied with a species that was out of the way.'_

_Will was wondering whether he should feel insulted or not, but decided he didn't really care since the Allspark proved to be rather clueless about how an earthling might take oh, being told that there about to be forcibly transformed into an alien robot and not have e choice in the matter. The Allspark really was neutral if it was still thinking there was some hope for its creations to get along._

_He just wasn't sure if said creations were going to be inclined to listen though. _


End file.
